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Need Help on the Value of a Winchester 1873

cletus85
I have a Winchester 1873 in .38 WCF (.38-40) with a 24 inch octogon barrel and crescent butt plate that belongs to a good friend. I may list it for him if I can get a rough idea of what to expect value wise.

Serial # 6283xxB which I have determined from online sources puts it made in 1909.

It is all original, with normal dings and scatches, but no broken or cracked wood. Most of the metal is patina in color with a little light surface rust. The action is nice and tight, and I would assume safe to shoot, though I'd have a gunsmith check that. The bore is fair, with sharp rifling, but some pitting mid way in the barrel. Most of the screws appear unturned. The cleaning rod is missing from the storage area in the stock.

Any ideas where to start a gun like this? Here is a link to 17 pictures of the gun--Any info or insight would be appreciated.
http://www.villagephotos.com/pubbrowse.asp?folder_id=1367617
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Comments

9 comments

Date Votes
  • 1KYDSTR


    "When I cease learning...I'm dead"(Me)
    "When I was 14 I used to marvel at how ignorant my old man was...by the time I was 21 I was truelly amazed at how much the old bugger had learned in the intervening 7 years!" Samuel Clemens
    "History is written by winners"(Patton)
    "You get a lot farther with a kind word and a gun than you do with a kind word alone!"(Al Capone)
    "There is nothing lower than the human race...except the French" (Samuel Clemens)
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  • cletus85
    1KYDSTR, thanks for the comments, I'll get better pics later.

    Any other insight anyone?
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  • cletus85
    Anyone?
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  • Bert H.
    Hello Cletus85...

    A few negative things jump right out at me in the photos;

    (1) The magazine tube is not original (or has been reblued).
    (2) The magazine tube has a moderate sized dent in it (that may not allow it to hold as many cartridges as it should).
    (3) The lever and several other smaller parts are blued when they should be case color hardened.

    On the good side, the frame appears to have its original finish, and the stocks do not appear to be messed with.

    The fact that it is not 100% factory original, and that it is a post 1898 manufactured gun significantly reduce the collectability (value). Just as a guess (without being able to eyeball it up close and personal), I estimate that it is worth about $1200 - $1500.

    Bert H.

    Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!
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  • cletus85
    Thanks for all of the insight. I'd say you are right about the magazine tube, though It didn't jump out at me until you mentioned it...Also for some reason, the lighting made everything look a little more blue than it was...so the lever, etc, are actually the same color as the receiver, they just don't appear that way in the pics.
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  • Bert H.
    Hello Cletus85...

    The frame on that rifle is blued... as it should be for a 1909 production gun. However, the lever, hammer, trigger, etc. were originally case color hardened, and they now appear to be blued also. It is possible that it was special ordered that way, but unless it can be proved as such with a Cody Firearms Museum letter, it will be looked at as a refinished gun by those of us that collect old Winnies.

    Bert H.

    Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!
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  • cletus85
    Thanks again, Bert...what does old worn Case Hardening look like?

    I'm not doubting you a bit, just curious for future reference...by the way my friend has "nothing" invested in this gun, and he is interested in selling it to buy some guns he is interested in...such as precision bolt actions. The 1873 was given to him over 15 years ago by a retired doctor who was trying to keep his dope head son from selling it...the doctor has long since passed.
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  • Bert H.
    Old worn color case hardening will either be a soft silvery color with slight mottling, or if it has patina'd it will be brown. Try retaking the photos in natural light (outdoors), as most digital cameras are at their best in that environment.

    Be sure to remind your friend that it is a "Modern" firearm for sale purposes, and it will need to go through either a Class 01 or a Class 03 FFL.

    Bert H.

    Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!
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  • cletus85
    Thanks again, Bert...I'll retake some photos later on, it may be a while though my friend lives quite a ways away...but still in my state. I was pretty sure it would have to transfer though an ffl, but thanks for the heads up. The ballpark figure he has been thinking was around $1500, but I'm sure he'll understand that there are factors that might cause it to bring under that amount.
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